Is my car covered against flood damage?

When most people think about flood damage they think about their homes. However it is estimated that 50,000-100,000 car are flood damaged during each major hurricane that hits the U.S. That leaves many drivers to wonder if their vehicle is protected against flood damage.

Flood damage is typically covered under a car insurance policy if the driver has comprehensive coverage on their vehicle. Drivers without comprehensive coverage usually do not have coverage for flood damage.

Some homeowners mistakenly believe that their home flood policy would cover damages to their vehicle. This, however, is false- flood policies supplied by FEMA only cover flood damage that has occurred to a home- not a vehicle.

Comprehensive coverage is not typically required by state motor vehicle departments; however, it may be required by a lease or finance company in order to protect their investment in your vehicle. In addition to flood damage, comprehensive coverage usually also covers damages caused by:

fire

wind

vandalism and mischief

missiles and explosives

theft

hail

glass breakage

civil commotion

earthquake

hitting an animalv

falling objects

Drivers who are unaware of their coverage should contact their car insurance agent to discuss their individual policy.